Love in Queens
by Sand n' Sable
Summary: Danny and Spence. The story that should have been told. Will contain male slash later on.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N-To me this a episode that should have been done if the show didn't end. It does contain male slash-just a warning.**

**Characters-Danny and Spence. Danny and Spence became roommates one season and over the years, their friendship elevated higher and higher, they became like a old married couple at the end so I'm just taking it to the next level.**

Danny woke up late Saturday morning and he looked at the sunlight streaming in and he wipes out his eyes then looks over at his roommate's twin bed and sees that it is empty and already made up. Then he smells coffee being made and bacon cooking and he smiles and knows that all is right with the world. He gets up and goes to the bathroom then after a few minutes, comes out and goes to his dresser and pulls out a pair of blue jean shorts then goes to the closet to get a shirt. He thanks the Lord that it is Saturday and he is off. He loves working at IPS but a fella needs a couple of days off after a long weekend, now, the only question is; what will he and Spence do today? Oh, look for a house...ever since Spence lost his job at New York Subway station, he's been obsessed about buying houses and flipping them.

After he puts on his socks and shoes, he goes out to the living room/ kitchen and he sees newspapers all over the table so he sighs and goes over to the refrigerator and he reaches for a ice cold beer and he hears Spence who is sitting at the table with his back to him say,

"I got coffee brewing and orange juice on the table, don't get Bud light"

Danny looks surprised and he looks at his beer then asks,

"How did you know?"

Spence looks at him then says,

"I know you"

Danny puts the beer back in the frig then Spence says as he gets up to go check the bacon,

"Don't forget to come to the park this afternoon, they are having a birthday party for Doug's daughter"

Danny sits down and pours some orange juice in a little glass then asks,

"Aren't they supposed to have some kind of Chinese theme?"

Spence takes up the bacon and says, "Yeah, I guess to try and keep her in touch with her background"

Danny takes a gulp of the cool morning drink then says,

"Why not just order Chinese once a week?"

Spence just shakes his head then says,

"I'm going to drive around and take a look at those houses we like"

Danny shakes his head then says,

"I still like that one that is only two blocks from Doug's house"

Spence breaks open some eggs to make some fried eggs and he says while cooking them,

"I do too, but we have to look at them all...consider everything , not just the price...I like that house out in the country"

Danny then says,

"Eh, I'm not sure about that one"

Spence asks him,

"Why?"

Danny tells him,

"Well, it's 4 miles from any other house and that farmer is like somebody left over from the 1800's"

Spence serves him the eggs and says,

"Oh, he's not that bad"

Danny picks up a fork to eat then says,

"Spence, he plows the fields with a horse and mule!"

Spence puts the skillet in the sink and Danny says,

"Besides, I would rather have our neighbor be of the more feminine kind to dance with"

Spence just gives a grunt to that then says,

"I'm still going to go check it out"

Danny shakes his head yes then says,

"Okay, well, I'm going to go see my dad. Let me know how it goes"

Spence sits down to eat his breakfast then says,

"Don't get into a argument with him"

Danny chews his egg then says,

"I'll try...but the man thinks I can't do anything!"

Spence tells him,

"You can, just not the things he like"

Danny smiles and they finish eating breakfast and doing things round the apartment then Danny picks up his keys to leave and Spence says,

"The party is at four!"

Danny nods his head okay and Spence goes to the newspapers and folds them up and looks up at the clock that says 9:53.

**A/N-This is my 2nd rewrite of the show, I hope you enjoy it!**


	2. Chapter 2 A Unspoken Bond

That afternoon, Danny comes into the park feeling good and carefree and children are running around on that spring day and he smiles at the young women walking around in their tight skirts and shorts and his eyes give lewd movements and the women just give a sigh and roll their eyes and go on and Danny goes up to his cousin and asks,

"Has the party started?"

Doug says,

"Yeah, most of the guests have arrived"

Danny looks around then asks causally,

"Uh, where's Spence?"

Doug looks around and says,

"He's not here yet..."

He looks at his watch then tells his cousin,

"It's still early though, and he may have got caught in traffic, but he'll get here. He loves birthday parties"

Danny smiles and says,

"Yeah, I know. He's a big kid"

They both laugh and Doug says,

"I got to go, Carrie has me doing all this stuff for the party and it's a long list"

Danny nods and says,

"Yeah, later"

Danny looks around and listens to the birds singing in the trees and he tries to ignore a unsettling feeling inside of himself.

{

At that time, Spence is going back to his car at a big farmhouse that is out in the country and a old man in blue overalls follows him to the car and asks,

"Are you sure you have all the eggs you need? Got plenty of them you know"

Spence smiles and says,

"I'm sure, my roommate and I are not big on eggs. A dozen of them will do just fine"

The farmer then says,

"Well, if you run into anybody in that big ol' city of yours, tell them I got plenty and milk too ! I think I'm the only one left who still does milk the old fashioned way"

Spence nods his head and says,

"I will, don't worry. "

And after a pause, asks,

"Why are you leaving?"

The farmer scratches his head then says,

"Well, son, I'm 94 and I want to do something before I die...I'm moving out to California and joining one of those nudist colonies"

Spence shakes his head and gets in the car and waves good bye to the old man, and as he drives around and he looks out at the beautiful sights in the country. At the clear blue skies...not a sign of smog...fluffy white clouds rolling by...birds flying around and a butterfly or two dancing in the air and he comes to a road on a mountain cliff...he's not worrying about anything but then he notices something. The brakes on his car seem to be making a small screeching noise but he dismisses it.

{

Danny is back at the park at the birthday party and he watches the children play and he looks around then he looks at his watch then Dough comes over and says,

"Come on man, it's only been 30 minutes"

Danny says,

"Yeah, I know"

Doug says,

"Come on, Deacon and I want to play football, let's go beat those snot nosed kids"

Danny forces himself to laugh then says,

"Yeah, let's go"

They turn to a large, open space to play when something knocks Danny's breath out and he stops but then MAKES himself go.

{

10 minutes later, as Spence goes around the corner, the brakes finally give out and he keeps pumping but nothing happens. The car goes over the line in the road and hits the guard rail and breaks it off and the car skids and falls off the cliff...they say that your life passes before your eyes when you are afraid you will die, but the only face Spence sees in Danny's kind, smiling face.

The car falls down on the ground then flips at least one time then it does a skid between the tires standing there and leaves a trail of mass destruction on the ground behind him then the wheels spin to nowhere.


	3. Chapter 3 Spence is Missing

Danny is sitting on a bench wating for Spence at 9:30 in the park...the streetlights are on and mosquitoes are flying around in the light and he sits on a bench looking around and hoping...but the hopes are fading. Doug and Deacon carefully walk up to him and they look at each other and they wonder what to say to their friend then Doug finally asks,

"Have you heard from him?"

Danny just shakes his head 'no' and Doug looks back at Deacon, and Deacon clears his throat then says,

"He probably just had car trouble and is somewhere getting it fixed"

Danny tries to be lighthearted about it but all he can say is a weak,

"Yeah"

Doug then says,

"Why don't you go on home? He could be home now, he wouldn't come here knowing that the party is over"

Danny just shakes his head then gets up and just goes on with only a glimmer of hope that his roommate is there.

A little while later, Doug opens the door to his home in Queens and his wife, Carrie, comes down the stairs in her bathrobe then she asks,

"Doug? Is that you?"

He flips on the living room switch and he says,

"Yeah"

He throws the house keys on the end table then he asks,

"Are the kids asleep?"

She says,

"Yeah, I just got them down, they were both worn out"

He nods his head and says,

"Good, good"

She watches him go sit down on the couch and she asks,

"Was Danny still there?"

He looks at her and says,

"Yes, Deacon and I convinced him to go home...I'm getting worried Carrie, he looks...so lost"

She goes over and sits down and says,

"Maybe it's about time to call the police"

He waves his hand then says,

"I thought of that, but you have to be missing 24 hours if you are over 18 for the police to do anything"

She flops down on the couch and says,

"Yeah"

He thinks for a mniute then says,

"If the police knew Spence like we do, they would know...this isn't like him"

She sighs then says,

"I know"

She moves over and lays her head on his shoulder and they think about their friend missing.

Deacon opens the door to his apartment and the first thing he sees is his beautiful wife, Kelly in her short green jumpsuit and she goes over to him and gives him a loving kiss on the lips and then she puts her arms around him and asks,

"Did you guys hear from Spence?"

He sadly shakes his head then he asks,

"Where are the boys?"

She tells him,

"In their room watching T.V., I told them they could stay up a extra hour since it's Saturday night"

He shakes his head yes then asks,

"Did you tell them?"

She tells him,

"No, I didn't think I should...yet"

He then says,

"Good idea"

After a few minutes of silence, she then asks,

"What now?"

He then says,

"I don't know"

They sit back in each others arms and think about Spence.

Meanwhile at the place where Spence had the wreck, he somehow gets the door open and it falls off and Spence rolls himself onto the ground and he groans and his hand reaches into his right pants pocket and he pulls out his smashed cell phone and blood comes from the top of his head and he throws it to the ground and he weakly says,

"He...must...be...so...worried"

He closes his eyes to the darkness.

Danny opens the door to his and Spence's apartment and he doesn't even bother to turn on the lights. He looks around the tiny space and he say weakly,

"Spence?"

No answer comes.

He walks over and opens the patio doors then walks out and just looks to the moonless night and imagines Spence in the stars.

**A/N-A big shout out to my beta Alisa 123, she helps me through this story and a few others. **


	4. Chapter 4 A Queen Conversation

The next morning, Doug stood outside of Danny and Spence's apartment and he hesitates before knocking but he does and Danny says in a broken voice,

"Come in"

Doug opens the door and he looks around then sees Danny sitting at the kitchen table with a Bud light in front of him and he sees how Danny is just staring at it and he says,

"Just yesterday morning, he told me not to get one of these for breakfast"

Doug comes over and sits down then asks,

"What are you going to do? Drink it now?"

Doug looks at him then says,

"I want to but I can't...for some reason"

He gets up from the table and Doug watches him closely and sees how he is like a caged tiger, walking back and forth then he says,

"Man, it's been 24 hours, you should be able to call the police by now and get them to start searching"

Danny glances at him then says,

"I did...about a hour ago"

Doug then puts on a confused expression then asks,

"Well, you should feel better, at least something is happening"

Danny says weakly,

"Yeah"

Doug picks up on something in his cousin's voice and he thinks about his next words then asks,

"Danny, what else is bothering you? I know something is man"

Danny looks around the room , confused in his feelings then he says,

"It's...it's my...my feelings"

Doug looks at him then asks,

"Your feelings?

Danny sheepishly lays,

"Yeah...about Spence. Doug, I stayed awake all night about this..."

He reaches up and feels the five o'clock shadow on his face, then cracks a weak smile then says,

"I didn't even shave...Spence was the reason I had shaved the beard off, he didn't like it all"

He then says,

"Doug, I ...think my feeling for Spence might be a little bit...more than roommate...y'know?"

Doug thinks for a minute then finally says,

"I know"

Danny looks at him then asks,

"How can you know?...I don't even know !"

Doug then says,

"It's pretty obvious man, it's always been"

Danny runs his hand through his hair and asks,

"B-but how can it be? I've had women, I've been married"

Doug looks at him then says,

"Danny...Brittany Spears has had more success in marriages than you and as for the other woman...Carrie is still laughing"

Danny nods his head in agreement while weakly chuckling then the laughter dies and Doug says,

"Look, yes, you did have 'all those women' but maybe...just maybe it took someone to come along for you to love and it just happens to be Spence...little nerdy Spence"

Tears roll down Danny's face as he says,

"I want that nerd home"

Doug stands up then says,

"So, let's get out there and start doing something"

Danny then says,

"Well, I do have a few ideas"

Doug smiles and says,

"Good, that's the way to go, you're moving in the right direction"

Danny then says,

"I think we need to first go to Spence's mom and tell her, she need to know before some cop tells her"

Doug nods his head in agreement,

"Yes, you're right, let's go"

They start to head for the door when Danny stops and turns around then says,

"Thanks Doug...for everything"

Back at the accident sit, Spence still lays on the ground and he moans and the first picture that comes to his mind is Danny. Not his mother, not any friends, not any girls...Danny. He opens his eyes finally and he only sees blue skies with rolling clouds and pine trees and he wonders to himself,

_'Does he miss me? Does he know I'm gone?...Yes, he knows I'm missing...but does he miss me?_

_Could he love me like I love him? I remember when I first realized the I love him...we had a poker game at the apartment and we were with friends. Doug and Deacon told a joke and I remember him laughing...his laughter...it was so light and airy and it was...as if time stopped...his breathing got faster, his heart sped up and he realized...he loved him...he loved Danny._

_But...how did he...how did Danny feel? Danny couldn't feel the same way about him?...Could he? Danny was so ...beautiful...Danny was always gong on about women...he couldn't..."_

Spence fell into darkness of unconsciousness but his last thought was of the man he loved.

**A/N-Much thanks to my editor, Alisa 123. I think I'll name my imaginary child, Dementri, after her.**


	5. Chapter 5 Veronica and Arthur

Doug and Danny were standing in front of the door of Spence's mother's apartment, Veronica. Danny was hesitating and Doug encouraged him to knock, he whispered, "Come on man, it needs to be done" so Danny takes a deep breath and knocks, then they hear Veronica's light and airy voice saying, "Come on in!"

They do, and she comes out of the kitchen with a little white apron and she says,

"Oh, hi Danny!...I was just finishing making lunch and this time I'm making a combination of your favorite meal and Spence's...it was a little tricky combing pork chops with tacos but I did it! You don't think it's too weird to put diced up pork chops with guacamole do you?"

Before the boys can answer, she waves her hand then says,

"Oh well, it might start a trend"

She turns around and goes back to the kitchen and Doug says when he is sure she is behind the door,

"Danny, you have to tell her."

Danny nods his head in agreement then says, "I will, it's just hard to find the words"

Doug looks around then asks,

"You guys come here every Sunday?"

Danny smiles then says,

"Yeah, she fixes our favorite meals. Usually, it's Spence's pork chops but this time , it sounds like she's doing some...experimenting"

Doug shivers then makes his usual stupid statement when he is nervous,

"Maybe that's why Spence is missing, to miss that!"

Danny slowly turns his head and looks at him with a look that could kill his cousin then he says with a scowl on his face, "Shut up, I'll tell her"

Just then Veronica comes out of the kitchen and she says, "The enchiladas will be a bit longer. When is Spence coming Danny?"

Danny looks at his cousin then gulps some air then says, "Uh, Mrs..."

Before he can say anything, she raises her hand then says,

"Danny, I told you a long time ago to call me mom"

He smiles and chokes back a tear then says, "Mom...you are more a mother to me than my own mother and it hurts me to tell you this but...I have to...mom..."

He takes her delicate hand and leads her to sit on the couch and when they sit down, he gently tells her, "Mom, Spence is missing".

She looks at him with a blank look then she asks him,

"What do you mean? Like he went to the store this morning and hasn't come back?"

He shakes his head and says, "No, mom...he's missing...been missing since yesterday afternoon"

She starts to breathe in short, quick draws and then her heart begins to race and she asks in a loud voice,

"Well, what are you going to start doing? We need to do something!"

He then tells her,

"I called the police, they are going to start looking"

She gets up and walks around the room and says,

"The police! You know they will take forever! We need to do something now!"

Danny looks to Doug then Spence says,

"I got a idea, we can make a poster of Spence. Can you find us a recent picture of him?"

She looks at Spence then asks,

"A picture?" Doug nods his head as he says, "Yeah, a picture. That way we can make posters...a missing poster"

Her face brightens up and she wipes her tears away, then goes over to where the family albums are and she gets one and goes over to the couch and she sits down and she opens up the album and she says,

"Oh, here's a picture of him!" The guys look at the picture then Danny says,

"Mom, that is a picture of Spence as a baby" She smiles and says, "I know it's not a recent picture but it's a good one, look how cute and chubby he was!",

Doug and Danny look at each other and sigh and decide to go along with a grieving mother as she goes through the pictures.

**That Same day-**

Back at the farm house that Spence was checking out the day he had the accident, the old farmer that Spence had talked to, comes out of the house and he loads packages onto his truck and goes back into the house. He stops and looks up into the sky then wipes his forehead then puts it back into his pocket and then goes and gets into the old Ford farm truck and drives in the same direction Spence drove in. He turns to himself as he unknowingly passes the accident site.

**When the farmer passes by-**

Spence still lays on the ground and he opens his eyes and every time he does, he sees Danny's face swimming in the blue of the skies but Spence also realizes that he can barely move without pain.

**Back at Veronica's apartment-**

A hour later, Danny and Doug are fighting sleep when they hear Veronica say, "I found it!"

The boys come 'alive', wipe their faces and Danny asks,

"What is it mom?"

She wipes a picture that she has in her hand and she holds it close to her heart and she says, "A good picture for you to use to make a poster of Spence"

She hands hi picture of Spence and Danny at the beach, arms around each others neck and Danny holds a beer bottle and Spence holds his inhaler and they "click" them together. Danny wipes a tear and he says,

"This is from the beach last week" Veronica looks at it and then at Danny then says,

"Yes, it's my favorite one of you two". He smiles and says, "You had it blown up"

She nods her head then says,

"It is the best picture of you two...you are family...now, go, Spence is counting on you!"

Doug stands up and says, "Yeah, we can get this copied at that place on Beachwood Blvd"

Danny thinks then snaps his fingers then says, "And get some phones set up for call ins"

Doug nods his head then says, "Good idea, let's go!"

The boys turn to leave and run out of the small apartment and Veronica follows to the door then says, "PLEASE let me know of anything boys!" She then closes the door and cries and prays for her boy.

Several hours later in the small apartment of Spence and Danny's, table and chairs are being put up and Carrie, Kelly, Deacon, Doug and Danny with Veronica are there trying to get the search organized for Spence with Arthur, Carrie's nutty father, comes in. He looks around and says to everybody in the room, "I am here to offer my services!"

Nobody really looks up at him but Carrie and Danny walks over to him and says,

"Well, Arthur, we really didn't expect for you to show up"

Arthur looks shocked and says, "Of coarse I would..." He turns to Veronica who is sitting on the couch and he says to her, "Our marragie may not have worked out but Spence is more than a mere former stepson to me, he is my son in my heart"

"Oh, that's sweet Arthur" He then says, "So here I am to do whatever I can"

Danny looks around the room then says, "Well, we have these missing posters of Spence made. You can put them up"

Arthur goes over to the table and looks at the pictures then says,

"Good touch having a picture of him holding his inhaler, let's people know that he is disabled"

Carrie rolls her eyes at her dads words and Doug, her husband says, "Yes, Arthur, go put these pictures up, even if it takes all night; get them up...all right?"

Arthur gives him a sharp salute then says, "Rodger Wilco!" . Carrie hits Doug on the arm and he looks at her and asks, "What?"

She sighs and goes back to manning the phone and the others work on getting more posters ready.

**That Same day-**

The same farmer, is driving back and forth in the opposite direction he left in and this time there is no boxes in the back of his truck and he again doesn't take notice of the signs of the accident leading down to Spence's torn car and Spence laying beside it.

**A/N- Much thanks to my beta, Alisa 123, she told me that I need to make it clear to the readers to understand that all of this happened on the same day. The old farmer keeps driving back and forth and missing Spence.**


	6. Chapter 6 Finding Spencer

Arthur put up the last remaining missing poster at a tall telephone pole next to an old fashioned mercantile store with a large porch and the pounding of nails brings the store owner out, a tall man with shoulder length brown hair and black hair and he looks at the poster and asks. "How long has he been missing?" Arthur looks at him then he says with his hands in the air, "A few days but I don't think he is "missing", I think he just got up and walked away. After all, he was just a subway token man then that was taken away, so I think he just got up and walked away, it has happened before...you think that Elvis guy 'died' ? No, no my friend, he's somewhere on some island singing 'Hunk of burning love' to some girl wearing coconuts!" The man looks at him and cocks his eye and picks up on how 'NUTS' Arthur is and he looks at the picture and says, "Yeah...his name is Spencer?" Arthur nods his head then says, "Spence Poole". The man just looks at the picture then goes back inside the store.

A little while later, the old farmer drives up to the mercantile shop and gets out of his truck and he goes and sits down on the steps then the same owner comes out and when he sees the old farmer, he smiles then goes over and asks him, "Mister Taylor? What are you doing here?" Mister Taylor doesn't answer him for a few minutes, just looks out at the trees swaying in the wind and the grass and the owner just silently waits then finally the owner says. "My son...he told me to meet him here...I think". The store owner nods his head yes then says, "He did Mister Taylor, he called me" The farmer looks at the store owner then asks, "You're...Steve, aren't you?" Steve smiles then he says. "Yes, I am Mister Taylor...Andy and I have been friends since grade school" Mister Taylor smiles then says. "That's nice". Mister Taylor turns and looks back at the surroundings and a blue Ford Fusion drives up and a young man in his 30's/ 40's gets out.

Andy goes up and shakes Steve's hand and they say hi and pleasantries to each other than Andy says. "I'm glad he's here, I was worried". Steve looks at the road then says, "He's been driving back and forth with packages in his truck...says he's getting ready to move to California". Andy nods his head then says, "He is, with me. I'll feel better with him near me" Steve looks at Mister Taylor then turns to his friend and says. "He also says he is going to join a nudist colony". Andy muffled a laugh then he says, "We told him that to get him to come..." He then bends down and says to his dad. "Dad? Let's go back to the house". His father looks up at him and asks in a small, little voice. "Will your mother be there?" Andy looks at his friend with tears in his eye then says. "Yes dad, mom will be there". Mister Taylor smiles then gets up with help from his son and friend then he sees Spence's face on the missing poster then says. "I know him".

Andy and Steve look at each other than Andy asks. "What dad?" Mister Taylor looks confused then says, "I just saw him...but I don't know where". Andy looks at Steve and whispers, "He goes in and out from the present to the past so quick these days" . The farmer looks at them and agitated, he says. "I'm here! Don't talk about me like I'm not!" Andy then says. "Yes dad, I'm sorry. Let's go home" Mister Taylor looks the picture of Spence and says. "I hope they find him". Andy looks at it all.

Andy and his father start down the driveway and through the twisting roads than Andy looks at his father who is between this world and his own. Andy sighs then he smiles and says, "Steve and I spent many happy times on this road, do you remember dad?" He looks over at his father who just keeps looking at pictures in his own mind. Andy just looks around at the sight of the trees swaying in the wind, mister Taylor looks at a broken section in the road guard and he says. "That shouldn't be there". Andy looks confused then he looks over at the broken section, stops the car and says. "What is that?" He looks over at the car scrapings on the ground for about a mile then sees the broken trees and he looks further down and sees Spence's car and Spence laying beside it and he gets his cell phone out of his shirt pocket and dials 911 and gives them directions then he hangs up and looks back at his dad sitting in the car and he hollers out to him. "Dad! Someone is hurt down there ! I'm going down there after him!" His dad hears him, gets out and goes down and he sees the boy and says. "That's the boy on the poster! He came by my house to see about buying it but I don't know why". Andy looks at his dad in wonder then goes on down to Spence.

At Doug and Spence's apartment, all the friends are sitting behind the phones they have lined up for people to call in tips then Doug says, "Will somebody call?" Carrie looks up and she says. "We did get two calls". Doug looks at her then says. "Yeah, one that said they saw a leprechaun in Yonkers who matches Spence's description and another one from a woman who is convinced that Spence is her son reincarnated and the only reason he's missing is because he ran away to keep from going to school!" Carrie sighs then says. "Let's just give it time". Doug looks over at her and says. "I'm going to send Arthur to check out that one in Yonkers". Everybody looks at him with a _'How stupid can you be?'_ look than Doug says. "It will keep him out of our hair!"

The phone rings and Deacon answers it. "Hello?...yeah, we're the ones looking for Spencer Poole...yes, that's him, yes, he does remind us of a leprechaun...he is? Great! Yes, we'll be there shortly" . He hangs up and everybody looks at Deacon in anticipation than Deacon tells them, "That was an officer in Smallwood...Spencer had an accident. He's okay but he's unconscious and they are getting ready to fly him to a hospital in Queens" Danny points to Deacon and says. "I know where that is! One of the houses that Spencer wanted to look at is there!" Doug then says. "Let's go!" They all grab their jacket and begin to run out and Arthur comes in and as they are filing out, he asks. "Where's everybody going?" Doug tells him. "They found Spence, we're going over to the hospital". Arthur claps his hands then says. "Ah, he's back, I knew he couldn't stay gone. Let's just hope he has learned that you can't leave home" Doug looks at him and shakes his head and says a sarcastic "Yeah" then they leave.

**A/N-Thank you for reading! Everybody who is reading reviewing, putting it on alerts,many thanks! Nobody was reading this for a long time.**

**This chapter is dedicated to my "Editor"...you know who you are.  
**


	7. Chapter 7 Big Talk in a Small Hospital

Danny is the first one to walk through Smallwood's hospital sliding Emergency doors, followed by Doug and Carrie then Deacon and Kelly, Carrie's father, Arthur and Spence's mom, Veronica , follows. Smallwood hospital is a small country hospital compared to Queen, New York. The lobby is a semi-large with chairs around the room and two rows of leather back chairs in the middle and modern art deco are on the walls. Two nurses are behind the large desk over in the corner and another beautiful art iron on the wall, and Danny goes over to them and he says. "We are here for Spencer Poole". The brunette nurse who is slightly overweight says. "Good, the surgeon was hoping family would come soon, he'll be out in a minute". Danny turns to Doug and he says. "Doug...surgery" Doug gently pats him on the back for encouragement and Veronica cries on Arthur's shoulder then a few minutes later, the doctor with salt and pepper hair, blue eyes and small wrinkles around the eyes comes out and he asks. "Spencer Poodle?" Everybody looks at him and Danny says. "That's Poole and we're here for him". The doctor looks at them then says. "I'm doctor Griffith, Spencer is being prepped for surgery now". Veronica pushes herself up front then asks. "Doctor, I'm his mother, what kind of surgery are we talking about?" The doctor looks at her with sympathetic eyes then he says. "For a slight release of fluid on the brain". They all wail and groan then the doctor says. "Now, all type of surgery on the brain is risky but he is young and strong. I will keep you updated". He turns and leaves while a numbing silence falls on the group, and they look at each other.

A little while later, Doug and Carrie are sitting in one of the chairs near the front of the room and Doug looks over at his Cousin, Danny, sitting in a chair in the far back corner of the room, looking out the floor length window. Danny watches the rain come down making the time seem slower and drab. Back at Doug, Carrie rests her head on his shoulder and Doug whispers to her. "Hey, hey". Carrie slowly raises her head then asks. "You need to take a leak?" He looks at her sarcastically then says. "No, I wanted to talk to you about Danny". He points to Danny with his thumb, then she asks. "About?" Doug looks back at Danny who is still staring out at the rain coming down and the puddles it is making, then Doug says to Carrie. "Yesterday when I went to their apartment, Danny admitted something to me". She looks at him then asks. "Yes?...Doug, you obviously want to tell me something so you tell me because if you interrupted my fantasy about Shemar Moore for nothing, I will hurt you" He starts to tell her. "Well, it's just that...you fantasize about Shemar Moore?" Carrie then says with her voice a little raised "Doug..." He goes on. "Well, you seem to have this thing about African-American 's, first my friend Deacon then Shemar..." . She hits him hard in the shoulder and raises her voice a bit louder than says. "Doug!" He says "Ow" and rubs his arms then says. "Danny told me yesterday, that he has feelings for Spence". She rolls her eyes then says. "So?" Doug looks at her and says. "**Feelings. **Sexual. Romantic. Not the 'just a roommate' kind". She rolls her eyes again then extends her arms and says. "Doug, we have teased and harassed them for years about this, why are you saying this now?" He still rubs his arms then quits and says. "Well, it's just that. It's been jokes but now, it's weird" Carrie then says. "Yes, it was weird because those two acted like an old married couple for years but wouldn't admit anything but now..." . She looks at him then asks, "What? You are freaked out by this?" He looks at her then asks. "And you aren't?" She then says. "Doug , at the real estate firm where I work, two of our biggest clients are gay, three of the secretaries on the floor above me are and one keeps giving me the eye every time she sees me. WE LIVE IN QUEENS FOR GOD'S SAKE!" Doug looks back at his cousin who is still looking out the window and he says. "I know, but...". She shifts in her seat then asks her husband. "What did you tell him when he told you?"

He shifts in his seat and rubs his pants than says. "Well, I told him that it wasn't a big deal, he loved Spence; it just took him a long time to find out". Carrie looks at Danny who chews on his fingernail of his right thumb, then she says back to Doug in a low voice. "WELL, that was good, so what's the problem now?" Doug looks around then says. "Well..." Just then, Deacon and Kelly show up and Deacon asks. "What's going on? Is something wrong? Is it about Spence?" Carrie looks at him and says. "It's about Spence but he's okay...at least as far as we know. He's still in surgery but it's about something else". Deacon and Kelly sit down then he says. "Is it about him being gay?" Doug looks at him in shock and surprise then asks. "You know?" Deacon then causally says, "doesn't everybody?" Kelly then says. "Thank God, it's about time. We need a good gay wedding around here". Carrie nods her head and the girls squeal then Doug says to Deacon. "You okay with this?" Deacon moves his hand around and says. "Sure, it's cool. I know most brothers don't go down with it, but just as long as he doesn't put the moves on me, it's cool. What's your problem?" Doug shrugs his shoulders then Carrie says. "I think Doug is just now really realizing that he has a gay cousin". Deacon then says. "Man, get with the program!" Carrie then asks her husband, "Doug, let me ask, would you rather that Spence and Danny just go through life wondering in a weird circle of life dance alone?" Doug looks at her then says. "No"

Arthur then comes in the room with 5 cups of steaming hot coffee on a serving tray and says. "This is for everybody". Carrie then gives grateful sigh then says. "Thanks dad" They all reach for a cup and Arthur picks up his and sits back and asks. "So, what are we talking about? Spence and Doug being gay?" Doug looks at him in complete shock then asks. "YOU KNOW?!" Arthur then tips his head then says, "Doug, I've lived longer than any of you and I know gay when I see it and those guys are walking fruit of the looms!"

Everybody snickers then Doug says. "I know I shouldn't be so freaked out, I just had to calm down". Carrie smiles and takes his hand in hers then they see Veronica walk in the room sniffling then Carrie asks everybody in a low voice. "How do you think Veronica will take it that her son is gay?" Everybody looks at her and when she looks at them, they all go back to drinking coffee then Doctor Griffith comes out. You can tell that he is haggard and tired and everybody jumps up and goes over to him and he says. "I have news on Spencer Poodle" All of Spencer's friends and family say together. "Poole!" The doctor then says. "I don't know why I got such a blockage against that name, anyway, I have news" Everybody looks at him in anticipation.

**A/N-Much love given to my editor, Alisya 123.**

**PLEASE read and review! Makes me go faster!**

**Sand n' Sable**


	8. Chapter 8 ICU

**A/N-Thank you for all who have put this story on favorites and alert, this story and is following it, it took a while. Nobody seemed to be reading the story but now! I love you all! And here's the next chapter.**

They were all in front of Doctor Griffith with their hearts in their throats, waiting to hear the news and they were all praying it was not bad news. Veronica, Spencer's mother, walked up to the front of the group, and they all joined hands. Doctor Griffith cleared his throat then said, "As I said, Mister Poole is out of surgery. He had pressure on the brain that we had to lessen, he broke his right hand and he has bruised ribs. It is amazing for the car accident he had, that not worse happened. Mister Poole is in recovery, and he will be there for a few more hours then..."

Veronica looks at him with fear in her eyes then she asked him, "Then?"

He looked at her with sympathy in his eyes and he said, "He'll be moved to the surgical ICU unit, to keep an eye on him." At the look of fear in the eyes of those in front of him, he went on. "Look, we have to watch to make sure that no new pressure builds up in his brain. As I said, he was lucky...but, we have to be careful...I will leave word with the staff to let you know when he is moved. I suspect it will be a couple of hours. Why don't you get something to eat...I need to get back to my patient." With that said, Dr. Griffith left the family. Veronica turned to Danny who pulled her into his arms and allowed her to cry on his shoulder. Carrie and Doug held each other as did Deacon and Kelly. Arthur just sat down, and tried to wrap his mind around what the doctor had just told them. Danny moved Veronica over to a couch and said, "I'm sure he'll be all right."

**A while later in the Recovery room:**

Spencer begins to show signs of waking up, he looks around the best he can, which he finds is not the best idea as he cries out. A nurse hears this and goes over to check on him. As she check his vitals, she calmly speaks to him. "Shhhh, it's all right Mister Poole...you are in the hospital, you've had surgery...try and not move around too much...I'm going to call your doctor." He closes his eyes, and when he reopens them, he sees a doctor in scrubs standing next to his bed. Dr. Griffith smiles at him and asks him a few questions. "I'm pleased to see that you are awake Mr. Poole...I need to ask you a few questions and then we'll get you something for the pain, I promise. Do you remember what happened?" Spencer thought about it for a few minutes, and carefully shook his head "no". The doctor wasn't too worried about that att he moment, it was normal after an accident such as Spencer's. "Okay, squeeze my hand for me." His patient does that, it's not a super grip, yet again, NOT a worry. After finishing his minor checks of his patient, the doctor explained as best he could what was wrong. "Okay, you were in a car accident...and you sustained a head injury, which caused pressure to the brain...we took care of that, however, we will be keeping an eye to make sure the pressure doesn't build up again...besides the head injury, you broke your right hand...which will be in a cast for a while...as well as some bruised ribs...all concerned, you were very lucky." The doctor stopped and watched his patient for a moment, then asked. "Do you have any questions?" Spencer looked at the doctor and whispered. "No, not at this time." Dr. Griffith nodded his head and said, "All right, we'll give you something for the pain." Spencer sighed in relief at this, but it turned into a cough when the doctor informed him that it won't be anything super strong , due to the head injury.

**Back in the waiting room:**

A few hours later as they sat in almost the same places, except that Veronica sat alone while Danny was at the other end of the waiting room with his heart torn up. The nurse comes in the room and she asked, "Spencer Poole's family?" Everybody stood up and looked at her and she gladly told them, "Mister Poole is awake now, and he is being moved to the Surgical ICU. You can go to the unit's waiting room and they'll let you know, when you can see him." At the happy faces, she warns them, "Just to let you know, you'll only be able to go one at a time to see him and only for a few minutes at a time." Doug thanked the nurse and she took her leave. After that, the family made their way to the next waiting room.

**Surgical ICU:**

They had only been waiting about 15 minutes, when a nurse from the unit came to tell them they could see him and told them of the rules, Veronica then asked.

"What room is he in?"

The nurse smiles and tells her, "Room 313, down the hall on the left."

Veronica doesn't waste any time, she runs through the door to see her son. Doug and Deacon go over to Danny, Doug slaps him on the back and the three friends interlock their arms as Danny waits his turn to go see him.

Veronica ran to his room, but she stopped and she looked at her son in bed through the window, she took a deep breath and she went in. She ran over to his bed and gently wrapped her arms around her son, kissing his head. After doing so, she said, "Oh, Spencer! Don't ever do this to me again!"

Spencer chuckled a bit then he said, "It wasn't exactly my idea mom." She laughed a bit then said, "I know, it's just that..." She kisses him on the forehead then said, "I don't ever want to go through that again."

Spencer groaned as he tried to move around in bed, but his ribs let him know that it is NOT a good idea so he laid still again then he asked, "Is Danny out there?"

His mother chuckles and put some strands of hair behind her ear, then said, "Spencer, all your friends are out there, Danny, Doug, his wife; that black man and his wife, even Arthur...everyone has been so worried about you."

He smiled at the thought of his friends out there waiting for him to wake up, especially that special person out there. He looks down at his hand and how it is in a cast to heal and he thought about something then he cleared his throat then he said, "Mom, I have something I need to tell you."

She looked at him and he saw that she had picked up a tissue from the tissue box to dab her eyes then she asked, "What is it dear?"

He took a deep breath and he knew that what he was about to say would be confusing to his mother but he had to say them, "Mom, I love Danny."

She smiled at him then said, "Of course you do, he's your roommate. He's the one who got a search party started."

He looked around the room to make sure they were still alone, then he takes another deep breath then said, "No mom, not like that...I love Danny...like my boyfriend...kind of love."

The realization of those words slowly dawn on her and her eyes widen and she said, "No, no,no,no...oh no, you just had an accident and surgery on your brain...you are just confused, that's all."

Spencer's heart rate goes up slight and he said, "Mom?"

Just then the door opens and a nurse in pink pants and a matching top comes in and she said, "Our machines up front showed a slight spike in his heart rate, is everything all right?" Veronica nods her head as Spence does the same then the nurse said, "Just a few more minutes Mrs. Poole." The nurse leaves, Veronica looked at Spencer then runs out of the room crying and Spencer sighs and laid his head back on the pillow and looked at the I.V. dripping in his arm.

Danny hears the doors to the waiting room open and he looks up to see Veronica and he sees that she had been crying , he starts to get up to go to her but when he does, he saw her looking at him with confusion, she then whimpered a bit then she runs out of the room, out of the hospital. Danny shakes his head and started to go to the nurses desk when he felt his cell phone vibrate in his shirt pocket. He looked around and saw that everybody was sitting around with their eyes closes or reading a magazine. He then pulls the phone out of his pocket and saw that it said 'Pop' on the caller ID...he grunts but presses the green button anyway. He then asks, "Pop? What is it?"

Danny's father then said, "I heard about Spencer and I thought I would call and see about him."

Danny looked around the room to see if anybody was listening, then he tried to smile and he said, "Thank you pop. Spence is doing better now, they had to operate on him a few hours ago but he just woke up and everything is going to be fine. I'm going in to see him." As he says this, he prays it is true.

His father then said, "Well, I'm in Smallwood on business, I'm coming in to see him also."

Danny's mind reeled with the information then he said, "Pop, Smallwood is so _small_, we're lucky they have a hospital, what type of business could you do here?"

His father laughs then said, "Well, I do have some business so I'll stop by."

Danny rolled his eyes then said, "Pop, you don't need to do that."

His father makes a grunting sound then said, "No problem, I'll be there shortly."

They hang up and Danny just shrugged his shoulders then goes through the waiting room doors, he looked around then walked up to the nurses desk on the right of him and he asked, "Is it all right that I go to Spencer Poole's room?"

A nurse with red hair and sitting in her chair, looked up at him from doing her work on the computer laptop then she said, "Yes, but please don't take too long, a few minutes at best. Mister Poole need his rest."

Danny nods his head than says, "Um, where is the room?" She picks up a pencil than points with it, "Just down the hall, on the left, room 313."

Danny goes down the hall and he goes to the room, he softly knocks on the door and he heard Spencer, "Come in."

Danny went in and Spencer rolled his head over and he saw Danny in the doorway and he smiled. Danny goes over to Spencer's bed and he looked at him with concern but Spence just said, "You know I don't...like a beard on you."

Danny brought his hand up and felt his five o'clock shadow that was becoming more like a seven o'clock shadow and he smiled and said, "I guess I need to shave."

Spence laughs a little and slowly nodded his head then Danny asked him, "How do you feel?...You really had us all very worried, when we couldn't find you."

Spence held up his hand that is now in a new cast and he felt his ribs then he said, "A little like _King Tut."_

Danny gave a breath of relief then asks Spencer, "I saw your mother running out of here crying, is something wrong?"

Spencer looks up at him and shakes his head 'No' then he said, "No, nothing's wrong. It was...something I told her."

Danny looked at him and ran his hand through his hair then he asked, "What?"

Spencer looked around the room to make sure they were alone then said, "I told her that...uhhhhhh...I love somebody."

Danny's heart started beating fast like a speeding car as he asked, "Really, who?" He wonders why her son saying that he loved somebody would upset her so much, that she'd react the way she had.

Spencer gets a nervous lump in his throat then he looked at Danny and said in a whisper but it was still loud enough for him to hear, "You."

Danny just looked at him in disbelief..._'I couldn't have heard him right...could I?'_

**Back in the waiting room:**

At that same time, a man in his sixties with grey balding hair and thick, black glasses comes in Smallwood's hospital waiting room and he looked around. Doug woke up and he saw the man and he stands up, then said, "Uncle Stu!"

Stu goes over and shook his nephew's hand then Doug asked him, "What are you doing here Uncle?"

Stu smiles and then he said, "I heard about Spencer, I also happened to be in Smallwood on business so I thought I would drop by."

Doug shook his head then he asked him, "You had work in Smallwood? Stu, this town is the size of a matchbox, what business could you do here?"

Stu laughed then he said, "Danny said the same thing, but I do. Uh, where's Spencer's room?"

Doug looked back at his wife, Carrie, who has also awaken while they were talking, Doug nervously said, "You'll have to ask the nurse, we haven't been back there."

Stu nods his head and waves at Carrie and he said, "Thank you. Good to see you Carrie." She smiled at him and he goes through the doors while Doug sits back down, looks at his wife and asked, "What now?" She just shrugs her shoulders while Stu asks the nurse about Spencer's room and she said.

"He's in room 313, you'll have to wait sir...he has a visitor at the moment...and it's only one visitor at a time for just a few minutes." Stu nods his head in understanding, but says. "I won't go in...but, can I just look in for a moment?" After giving it some thought, the nurse okays that. Stu then turns and walks to Spencer's room and when he gets to the room, he looks in the window and sees his son talking to Spencer in bed. As he watches the two talk, he sees something that removes his carefree smile. And just as silently as he walked to the room, Stu walks away and not knowing what to think about what he just saw between the two men.

**Editor's Note: I take "full" responsibility for this chapter taking soooooo long, in coming...it just wasn't working, and I wouldn't sign off on it, until it did. ...You could say, this is a combo of Sand and my ideas...remember to use your manners, if you can't be nice, DON'T comment at all. Alisa 123**


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